Through out the course of English 201, I have discovered the meaning of literacy is quite different from what I originally thought it was. I always thought that being literate was having the ability to read and write. I figured as long as you could do that then you were considered literate. Not until I began reading the various articles in this class did I realize that literacy is much more involved than that. To be literate means you have to under how to correctly speak and write in certain situations. As you grow up, you become literate in one certain language or discourse around your community and home. Then later once you enter into the school/academic setting you are forced to learn a new language or discourse. It seems like for the most part being literate stems from school or the academic community. Students are forced to put on a mask in order to speak the proper language in school. As a future educator, these articles are especially important since they seemed to be geared towards me. They write about how we need to change how students are taught in the classroom so they become literate and good writers. This is not only useful in school but in the rest of their lives. It may change the outcome of the child completely. In the Gee article she gives specific examples of students who came from poor neighbors and were not excepted to graduate high school. Then a few inspiring teachers came along and changed the outcomes of these students who turned out to future leaders in the community. I think if I remember that when I become a teacher, I can change students lives as well.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Literacy 10-17- Lucia Torres
Before this course the word literacy means to have the ability to read and write. Now that I have had the chance to experience the readings from the source English 201 I have come to the consensus that academic writing, speech, and the ability to read is what educators define as “proper literacy”, because not just any type of literacy is acceptable. Which is why I choose the quote "If academic writing is bullshit, then bullshit is what we teach” (Eubanks & Schaeffer 374), because this shows where exactly these reasoning’s are coming from. I also came to a different conclusion that literacy is not only something that is more than just reading and writing, but it’s getting students to make that ultimate understanding/ connection of what makes any piece of literature comprehensible. This is what I will call “making the connection” which is why I find the quote from Gere’s article most important; “A Help to Young Writers, a self guide published in 1836, found fault with the rapid subjects assigned by teachers and tendency with the schools to teach composition as though it bore no relationship to good conversation (Gere 81).” The importance from writing not only comes from deriving the abilities of how to read and write, but also to making proper connections to what the acceptable academics. Whether or not we want to accept the fact that “proper academics exist”, they do and as a dominant we have to push them, so as an entire society we can proper in a more common ground, even if it’s wrong.
Literacy October 17, 2010
This English class has been much different from any I have ever taken before. I have learned so much about myself as a writer this semester and have also developed my own take on what literacy means to me. Before this class literacy was simply the ability to read or right. Now taking this class and based on everything that we have read this semester literacy, to me, is much more than the ability to read and write. Literacy can also be the way that you speak or act in a certain situation which before this class those two things would have never fallen under the definition of literacy for me. Literacy can also be something that people use to try and place themselves in a certain social circle. I understand the concept of literacy and literacy acquisition much more now than I did when I had originally enrolled in this course. The various articles that we have had to read have really brightened my understanding of literacy and I think that this will be very helpful for my future career as an educator. I think that knowing that are various opinions on what literacy is will be very helpful when helping struggling children learn to read, write, and even speak the English language. I believe that having a wider range of what the definition can mean is a very good thing for everyone to know. I can’t wait to continue reading more articles to see what else I will end up adding to my definition of literacy.
literacy
This class has taught me that literacy can have different meanings to different people. For example, some can think of literacy as simply the ability to read and write, while others can believe it also includes the way people speak and act in addition to reading and writing. Before taking this class, I never thought of literacy as including speaking and acting in a certain way, but I think it is interesting how that can be seen as a part of literacy. The articles we have read so far this semester have made me think about my own literacy and academic writing as a student. Knowing now that literacy can have different definitions to others is something to keep in mind as I continue my education and my future career as a teacher.
A couple articles we have read this semester questioned whether students are truly literate when it comes to academic writing. All college students are able to read and write, but are they able to read and understand academic writing, and then produce their own equally academic-sounding writing? I think that the literacy of college students is limited when it comes to academic writing. Learning the language of academic writing is the first step for college students to become more literate and able to produce their own adequate academic writing. Another article mentioned the importance of having literacy in more than one discourse; or, being able to be literate as a man or woman, as well as an employee, a member of a club, etc. I think being literate in more than one discourse is an important skill for all people to have. This course’s discussion of literacy has taught me a lot about a subject that I had previously not given much thought.
A couple articles we have read this semester questioned whether students are truly literate when it comes to academic writing. All college students are able to read and write, but are they able to read and understand academic writing, and then produce their own equally academic-sounding writing? I think that the literacy of college students is limited when it comes to academic writing. Learning the language of academic writing is the first step for college students to become more literate and able to produce their own adequate academic writing. Another article mentioned the importance of having literacy in more than one discourse; or, being able to be literate as a man or woman, as well as an employee, a member of a club, etc. I think being literate in more than one discourse is an important skill for all people to have. This course’s discussion of literacy has taught me a lot about a subject that I had previously not given much thought.
Literacy
English 20 has helped me learn that everyone has their own definition of literacy, but somehow they are all linked. Unfortunately I do not like English which is why it is harder for me to come to terms with the definition of literacy on my own. I do not like English because of all the rules that come along with writing, I feel like you are writing under someone elses standards. This i the reason why a majority of people do not like English class. Throughout our assignments we have read and written about multiple pieces of writings. They all express what literacy means in their own terms and why it is important to have literacy in your life.
After reading all of these writings the definition I came up with literacy is, not only the ability to read and write but also the ability to read between the lines, to understand what someone is saying without them full out saying it. I may not always fully understand what people are saying but i feel that i have learned more about literacy and use my skills when it comes to reading the articles we have read and any future articles we will read.
After reading all of these writings the definition I came up with literacy is, not only the ability to read and write but also the ability to read between the lines, to understand what someone is saying without them full out saying it. I may not always fully understand what people are saying but i feel that i have learned more about literacy and use my skills when it comes to reading the articles we have read and any future articles we will read.
Changing definitions
Literacy is a word that can have numerous definitions depending of course who you ask and in what context. Some people believe it is an unobtainable goal that people strive for to better themselves based on social class. Others feel literacy is a writer’s transformation from school to outside writing after critique and review. And then some think that literacy is just how well someone is able to bullshit their way through an essay.
It seems that my understanding of the definition would have to be how well a student is able to grasp basic writing concepts (i.e. grammar and sentence structure), their ability to learn and grow in composition, and a student’s ambition to write like an educated scholar along with being able to read and comprehend complicated meaningful essays. This is different from my first understanding of the word literacy from back before I begun this class. Before I thought literacy was being able to read and write coherent sentences, basically the literal definition.
Now considering the simple definition that I had of the term literacy pre this semester and the more complicated definition that I have now after reading several essays on the subject and I am sure that my definition will once again transform by the end of the semester and the closing of the class. Literacy does not have one simple definition; again it does matter considering the context in which the word is brought up in.
It seems that my understanding of the definition would have to be how well a student is able to grasp basic writing concepts (i.e. grammar and sentence structure), their ability to learn and grow in composition, and a student’s ambition to write like an educated scholar along with being able to read and comprehend complicated meaningful essays. This is different from my first understanding of the word literacy from back before I begun this class. Before I thought literacy was being able to read and write coherent sentences, basically the literal definition.
Now considering the simple definition that I had of the term literacy pre this semester and the more complicated definition that I have now after reading several essays on the subject and I am sure that my definition will once again transform by the end of the semester and the closing of the class. Literacy does not have one simple definition; again it does matter considering the context in which the word is brought up in.
Literacy/Acquisition
Prior to starting this semester, the concept of "literacy" was not something I had much considered. I really only thought about it in terms of ability to read language. However, my definition has developed through the course of this class into something that has much more meaning. I currently define literacy as the ability to competently read or speak (and comprehend) at a specific level. This broadens my previous perception quite a bit by implementing levels of literacy. A person who can read and speak at a basic level is literate in the most basic sense of the word, but may still be illiterate at different levels of comprehension. That is to say, a student who has the capability to read English in children's books may still be illiterate in terms of his/her ability to read and comprehend texts within the classroom. This can relate to the analogy used by Gee of the acquisition of a second language: a student of a language, e.g. Spanish, may well be able to use or read the language at a basic level, but would be illiterate within the setting of native speakers because the ability to use the language in context would be missing.
My basic understanding of literacy acquisition is that in order to fully and successfully acquire literacy at a certain level, a student must be immersed in the use of the discourse, rather than being taught specifics in the classroom. I am experiencing this myself as I explore the world of academic discourse for the first time in a concerted fashion. I have found that my ability to effectively and correctly use the discourse is improving as I read articles and respond to classmates - something that I wasn't able to master when I was simply given the tools to use the language.
My basic understanding of literacy acquisition is that in order to fully and successfully acquire literacy at a certain level, a student must be immersed in the use of the discourse, rather than being taught specifics in the classroom. I am experiencing this myself as I explore the world of academic discourse for the first time in a concerted fashion. I have found that my ability to effectively and correctly use the discourse is improving as I read articles and respond to classmates - something that I wasn't able to master when I was simply given the tools to use the language.
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